Rotatable merchandise display



May 7, 1963 N. LEFFELD 3,088,599

ROTATABLE MERCHANDISE DISPLAY Filed Feb. 12. 1960 6'5 .5! IN VEN TOR. g i NAT/ HIV AEFFELD 0 Y1? 6/ BY amen av, FAQs/e, 650/3 Jbm /v United States Filed Feb. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 8,266 11 Claims. Cl. 211-13 This invention relates to a display device tor displaying a plurality of small merchandise elements in a minimum of space and more specifically relates to a display structure for displaying rolls of ribbon which are carried along the four walls of a square wire structural member which is mounted to be rotatable and is adjustable in height.

As will be seen, the invention contemplates the forming of a display which is comprised of a welded wire structure which provides a plurality of semi-cylindrical ribbon roll carrying elements, wherein each of the ribbon carrying elements is self-contained within itself so that the mounted ribbon can be rotated independently of a support shaft. The wire frame is then carried on an elongated support shaft and is seated directly on a novel ball bearing carrier which permits the Wire assembly to be rotated with respect to the shaft.

In addition, the point at which the wire assembly is secured with respect to the shaft may be adjustably changed by adjustably supporting the ball bearing support so that the height of the wire assembly is fixed at any desired point. Each of the semi-circular wire baskets which carries ribbon rolls is provided with a novel dustpreventing metallic cover which will receive any diameter ribbon spool, and additionally provides means tor displaying prices or other information immediately above the ribbon spol with which it is related. When a particular semi-circular ribbon spool container is empty of spools, this novel cover means will fully collapse so that the prices thereon will be hidden from view.

One of the support members for iassemblying all of the various semi-cylindrical ribbon containers can include a measuring means such as a yardstick whereby regardless of the position from which the ribbon is taken, it can always be laid against this measuring means which extends completely around the periphery of the wire assembly.

A plurality of tiers of these semi-cylindrical members is then used, depending upon how much merchandise is to be displayed.

Furthermore, by forming each semi-cylindrical member (or each tier of members) of a given dimension, categories of merchandise are automatically related to a given member or tier and cannot properly fit into any other, thereby maintaining a constant separate category control and price control as well.

Furthermore, additional small racks may be provided for displaying advertising literature which a customer may take if he desires. Here again, these racks may be placed on all four sides of the display means so that the literature will be exposed to view regardless 'of the angular position of the wire display.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel display means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel ribbon display means wherein a plurality of ribbons contained on all four sides of a wire assembly are exposed to view.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel wire assembly for merchandise display which is rotatable around 360 and is adjustable in height.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a novel wire display comprised of a plurality of layers of semi-cylindrical wire containers disposed with respect to one another to form a square.

These and other objects of this invention will become 3,088,599 Patented May 7, 1963 "ice 2 apparent from the following description when taken in connection wit-h the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of my novel display structure.

FIGURE 2 is a side cross-sectional view of one of the semi-cylindrical wire containers which form the display of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a cross-sectional view of one of the ribbon spools which is placed in the semi-cylindrical wire containers of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a side cross sectional view of the ball bearing support for the wire display of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, my novel wire display is formed of a plurality of semi-cylindrical containers which are arranged to form a square and are provided in a plurality of layers.

[For example, in IFIGURE 1, the uppermost layer of the display is formed of the four semi-cylindrical elements 10, 11, 12 land 13. The intermediate layer is formed of semi cy lindrical elements 14, .15, 20 and 21. Finally, the lower layer is comprised of scmiacylindrical elements 22, 23, a rearwardly disposed element (not seen), and 24.

It will be noted that semi-cylindrical members 10 through 13 have a relatively small diameter, while the lower layers of elements have relatively larger diameters.

A side cross-sectional view of typical semi-cylindrical member 24 is shown in FIGURE 2 where it is seen that the member is made of live straight parallel steel wires 25, 30, 31, 32 and 33. As shown in FIGURE 1, the straight parallel wires are connected at their outer ends by a ring such as wire ring 34 which is welded to the frontward ends of the wires and a similar ring (not seen) at the rearward end of the wires.

The wire 33 further serves to carry a sheet metal cover 35 which acts as a hinge by virtue of an overlapped end portion 36 which loops around wire 33. As will be seen hereinafter, cover member 35 is movable upwardly to the phantom view of FIGURE 2.

Each of the semi-cylindrical wire members is mounted in a manner identical to that described in FIGURES l and 2 for member \24 and difier only in diameter when ribbon spools of different diameters are to be displayed. Each of the semi-cylindrical members is spaced from the others by means of vertical wire members such as vertical wire members 40 and 41 in FIGURE '1 which extend along the outside of members 13, 21 and 24 and are secured to the front circular rims such as rim 34 of member 24 as by welding.

Similar vertical support members or wires 42 and 44 are connected to the right-hand ends of semi-cylindrical members 10, 14 and 22, whereby the right-hand ends when looking toward the various semi-cylindrical members, will be supported by vertical longitudinal wires. The left-hand ends of each of the semi-cylindrical members are carried as by welding to the side of the semicylindrical member at that position. For example, the left-hand rim 45' of send-cylindrical member 22 is welded directly to rearwardly extending wire =32 of member 24. In a. similar manner, all of the left-hand ends of the various cylindrical members are welded to one of the rearwardly extending longitudinal wires forming the various adjacent semi-cylindrical members.

In order to provide additional structural strength to the complete wire assembly, a horizontal pair of wires 50 and 5 1 of FIGURE 1 run around the outside of the display and are secured by welding .to the various vertical support wires such as wires 40, 41, 42 and 44.

As an additional feature, measuring elements such as rulers 5 2, 53 and additional rulers on the side that cannot be seen in FIGURE 1 may be supported by wires 3 50 and 51 for purposes which will be apparent hereinafter.

In order to rotatably mount the wire assembly described above, an elongated support post 54 is carried from a support pedestal 55 as by welding or any other desired support method. The support pedestal is then provided with openings such as openings 60 and 61 whereby the pedestal can be readily secured by bolting to the surface on which it is mounted. A support hearing such as'bearing62 is then slidably carried on post 54 and, as will be seen hereinafter, the wire display is mounted directly on this ball bearing support.

Referring to FIGURE 4, the ball bearing mounting assembly is formed of first and second cup-shaped members-63 and 64, respectively, which are of identical construction. The cup is made deep enough to receive a ball bearingassembly 65 so that the balls will roll between the inner surfaceof cup 64 and the outer surface of cup 63, whereby cup 64 will be rotatable with respect to cup 63 in a relatively frictionless manner.

Referring now to the manner in which the wire assembly is connected to the top of cup 64, FIGURE 1 illustrates in dotted lines that wire extensions 76 and 71 extend from and are secured at either end to semi-cyclindrical members 24 and 23 as by being welded to rearwardly extending wires such as wire 31 of member 24 and a corresponding wire of member 23.

A second pair of wires 72 and 73 have either end secured to semi-cylindrical member and the semi-cylindrical memberat the rear of the lower layer, respectively (notseen).

The crossing of wires 70, 71, 72 and 73 defines a central square shaped opening which is dimensioned to fit over post 54. In a like manner, an assembly of crossing elements may be provided in the central layer whereby wires similar to wires 70 through 73 define a second square shaped opening in the area of the second layer and are supported by semi-cylindrical members 14, 15, 20 and 21. This second opening is not shown in FIG- URE 1 in order to simplify the drawing.

It is now apparent that the complete wire assembly is liftedup, and the square openings in the central and lower layersare-inserted over post 54, and the wire assembly is then lowered until the mesh of wires '70 through 73 contacts the top of cup 64 of FIGURE 4. The complete assembly will then be placed on the bearing assembly 62 so that it may be easily rotated about platform 55.

Since the assembly is carried directly on the bearing 'rather than the pedestal 55, the height of the assembly may be varied by means of an auxiliary shaft spacer 74 which can be stored, as shown in solid lines in FIGURE 1, on the post 54.

When it is desired to raise the level of the wire assembly, the wire assembly is removed from post 54, and the enlarged spacing cylinder 74 is then lowered to the bottom of the post 54 to bear upon support pedestal 55. The

ball bearing assembly 62 is then placed on shaft 54 and lowered until it reaches the upper end of shaftspacer 74, as illustrated in phantom view in FIGURE 1, and the wire assembly is then placed on the shaft 54 in the usual manner.

In this case, however, the wire assembly will rest at a higher position depending upon the length of shaft spacer 74.

If desired, provisions can be made for carrying advertising pamphlets as by providing wire racks such as rack 80 which is welded to vertical members 4% and 41 and other similar racks on each side of the display so that regardless of what angular position the wire display assumes, the advertising material will be readily available .at the front of the display.

The ribbon spools will have diameters to fit snugly within the appropriate wire basket and in accordance with the invention are so constructed to be inherently spaced with respect to one another and are capable of being mounted without a central mounting shaft.

A cross-sectional view of a typical spool such as spool 81 of semi-cylindrical member 22 is shown in FIGURE 3.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the spool is formed of first and second side walls 82 and 83 which are rigidly connected to one another by a central cylindrical insert 84 which is pressed on top of metal discs'85 and 9t) which are carried by side walls '82 and 83, respectively. Outer bobbin 91 is then rotatively positioned around cylinder 84 and has the display ribbon wound thereon whereby bobbin 91 and the ribbon carried thereon can be rotated with respect to walls 82 and 83. Therefore, the display ribbon can be removed from the spools without removing the spools for measuring, cutting, or handling.

A strip of metal 92 is then sprung into position inside of disc and serves to space the wall 93, shown in phantom, of an adjacent ribbon spool, whereby spools mounted next to one another may be easily removed without requiring the removal of all of the spools.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that no support shaft is needed for the individual spools of ribbon, and they are each a self-contained unit.

In order to mount the various spools in the display of FIGURE 1, it is clear that it is only necessary to raise the covers such as cover 35 of FIGURE 2 and thereafter drop the spool into position within the semi-cylindrical member. As shown in FIGURE 1, these spools are added until the semi-cylindrical member is completely filled in its axial direction, and the cover 35, for example, will be held in the upward view shown in phantom in FIGURE 2 by the stationary walls of the various spools.

An additionalfeature of the present invention is in the provision of mounting means such as mounting means 1 94 along the outer edge of the covers, such as cover 35,

whereby price information and size information may be placed immediately adjacent the spool to which the information relates. The shape of mounting member 94 is such that this information can be easily mounted and changed.

In the foregoing I have described my invention only in connection with preferred embodiments thereof. Many variations and modifications of the principles of my invention within the scope of the description herein are obvious. Accordingly, I prefer-to be bound not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wire frame assembly display device; said wire frame assembly comprising a plurality of semi-cylindrical members; each of said semi-cylindrical members being formed of a plurality of parallel extending wires; a first end of said parallel extending wires terminating on and being fastened to a first circular wire rim; the other end of said parallel extending wires terminating on and being fastened to a second circular wire rim; said parallel extending wires thereby being spaced from one another to define a semi-cylindrical shape; said semi-cylindrical members being arranged in a closed chain arrangement whereby said first rim of each of said semi-cylindrical members is fastened to one of the parallel extending wires of an adjacent semi-cylindrical member; the opening defined in said semi-cylindrical surface defined by said parallel extending wiresfacing outwardly of the chain for each of said semi-cylindrical members whereby each of said semi-cylindrical members can receive cylindrical shaped structures to be displayed.

2. In the structure set forth in claim 1; a support means; said support means engaging said wire frame assembly centrally of said closed chain; said wire frame assembly being rotatable with respect to said support means.

3. In the structure set forth in claim 2; said support means comprising a support post and a bearing ring; said bearing ring being carried on said support post, said wire frame assembly engaging said bearing ring and being rotatable thereon with respect to said support post.

4. In the structure set forth in claim 3; said bearing ring being adjustably positioned with respect to said support shaft whereby said wire frame assembly is adjustably located with respect to said support post.

5. In the structure set forth in claim 3; a tubular cylinder for receiving said bearing ring; said tubular cylinder being sliable over said support post to change the normal position of said bearing ring with respect to said support shaft to thereby adjustably position said wire frame assembly with respect to said support shaft.

6. In the display device of claim 1; each of said semicylindrical members having a sheet metal cover for at least partially covering the opening defined in the semicylindrical surface of said semi-cylindrical members; said sheet metal covers having a lapped over end portion folded around one of said elongated wires of its respective semi-cylindrical member and being pivotally mounted thereby.

7. In the display device of claim 1; each of said semicylindrical members having a wire rack secured thereto; each of said wire racks being capable of receiving advertising materials.

8. A wire frame assembly display device; said wire frame assembly comprising a plurality of layers of a plurality of semi-cylindrical members; each of said semicylindrical members being formed of a plurality of parallel extending Wires; a first end of said parallel extending wires terminating on and being fastened to a first circular wire rim; the other end of said parallel extending wires terminating on and being fastened to a second circular wire rim; said parallel extending wires thereby being spaced from one another to define a semi-cylindrical shape; said semi-cylindrical members of each of said layers being arranged in a closed chain arrangement whereby said first rim of each of said semi-cylindrical members of each of said layers is fastened to one of the parallel extending wires of an adjacent semi-cylindrical member; the opening defined in said semi-cylindrical surface defined by said parallel extending wires facing outwardly of the chain for each of said semi-cylindrical members of each of said layers whereby each of said semi-cylindrical members can receive cylindrical shaped structures to be displayed; and vertical support wires for supporting each of said layers with respect to one another; said vertical support wires being connected to said second rim of each of said semi-cylindrical members.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8; and further ineluding a horizontal support Wire encircling said display device at a centrally located plane therethrough; said horizontal support wire being fastened to said vertical support Wires.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said horizontal support Wire carries elongated measuring means. ll

11. A Wire frame assembly display device; said wire frame assembly comprising a plurality of semi-cylindrical members; each of said semi-cylindrical members being formed of a plurality of parallel extending wires; a first end of said parallel extending wires terminating on and being fastened to a first circular wire rim; the other end of said parallel extending wires terminating on and being fastened to a second circular wire rim; said parallel extending wires thereby being spaced from one another to define a semi-cylindrical shape; said semi-cylindrical members being arranged in a closed chain arrangement where by said first rim of each of said semi-cylindrical members is fastened to one of the parallel extending wires of an adjacent semi-cylindrical member; the opening defined in said semi-cylindrical surface defined by said parallel extending wires facing outwardly of the chain for each of said semi-cylindrical members whereby each of said semi-cylindrical members can receive cylindrical shaped structures to be displayed; said cylindrical shaped structures to be displayed including a spool carrying a ribbonlike material; said spool comprising a first and second side wall, and a spacing cylinder; said cylinder being rigidly connected at either end to central portions of said first and second side wall, respectively, to rigidly connect said first and second side wall in parallel spaced relation with respect to one another; and a bobbin; said bobbin comprising a hollow cylinder concentrically carried on said cylinder and being rotatable with respect thereto; said ribbon-like material being wound on said bobbin; said ribbon being capable of being delivered from said bobbin independently of rotation of said first and second side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 541,433 Ethicr June 18, 1895 1,028,593 Naumann June 4, 1912 1,790,338 Chartoif Jan. 27, 1931 1,952,457 Painter Mar. 27, 1934 1,991,435 Walter Feb. 19, 1935 2,271,326 Bird Jan. 27, 1942 2,338,324 Floyd Jan. 4, 1944 2,926,862 Jacobson Mar. 1, 1960 2,980,261 Young Apr. 18, 1961 

1. A WIRE FRAME ASSEMBLY DISPLAY DEVICE; SAID WIRE FRAME ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS; EACH OF SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS BEING FORMED OF A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL EXTENDING WIRES; A FIRST END OF SAID PARALLEL EXTENDING WIRES TERMINATING ON AND BEING FASTENED TO A FIRST CIRCULAR WIRE RIM; THE OTHER END OF SAID PARALLEL EXTENDING WIRES TERMINATING ON AND BEING FASTENED TO A SECOND CIRCULAR WIRE RIM; SAID PARALLEL EXTENDING WIRES THEREBY BEING SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER TO DEFINE A SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SHAPE; SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS BEING ARRANGED IN A CLOSED CHAIN ARRANGEMENT WHEREBY SAID FIRST RIM OF EACH OF SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS IS FASTENED TO ONE OF THE PARALLEL EXTENDING WIRES OF AN ADJACENT SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBER; THE OPENING DEFINED IN SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL SURFACE DEFINED BY SAID PARALLEL EXTENDING WIRES FACING OUTWARDLY OF THE CHAIN FOR EACH OF SAID SEMI-CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS WHEREBY EACH 